Shoe bottom filling machine



A. H. AVERY SHOE BOTTOM FILLING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 20, 1934.

Filed sept. 11, 1930 Fig. l

\\\ "Maja NMI! E azi Feb. 20, 1934.

e sheets-sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1l. 1930 Feb. 20, 1934. A. H. AVERY SHOE BOTTOM FILLING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 11. 1930 3 Il 1. fig 1 1 l UJL on n 7 ,M w O l J n@ l 64 3, M 1 I /2 /25 1 l'j. a 217 Jj Feb. 20, 1934. A. H, AVERY SHOE BOTTOM FILLING MACHINE Feb. 20, 1934. A. H. AVERY SHOE BOTTOM FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. l1, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 @ver A. H. AVERY SHOE BOTTOM FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11. 1930 Feb. 2o, 1934.

Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNETEE) STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE BOTTOM FILLING MACHINE Application September 11, 1930 Serial No. 481,129

12 Claims.

Shoe bottom filler material of the kind most generally used for many years past, consists of a plastic, spreadable composition made of a comminuted body material such as ground cork and a sticky binder such as wax tailings, usually mixed with certain other added ingredients. This ller material has commonly been supplied to and used by shoe manufacturers in bulk form.

Filler conditioning machines have been furnished for heating, softening and conditioning ie ller mass preparatory to laying and spreading it in the shoe bottom cavity, and the method of laying the ller has been for the operator to dip or scoop out a quantity of the conditioned filler material from the mass by means oi a "i material, which promises to go intoV extensive use, has been invented to overcome the principal objections to the use of the former type of bulk filler, consisting preferably of individual, readily handleable units,.portions or pieces oi" spreadable iiller, preferably sheeted and leaf-like, each piece or portion being smaller in area than the cavity to be lled and thicker than the depth of the cavity and containing a mass or volume of iiller material suitable, when spread, for filling 'i an individual shoe bottom cavity. It is the object of the present invention to provide a machine for spreading and smoothing individual pieces or portions oi filler material of the kind indicated in the shoe bottom cavity.

My machine is distinguished radically from the former customary condensing roll above mentioned by having two opposing members relatively movable and arranged to receive the shoe between them and to be then brought toward each other by power, preferably either foot power or electric power, one member serving to support the shoe in position, with the ller piece in its shoe bottom cavity, to receive a substantially hat pressure of the other member substantially coextensive with the cavity area of the shoe bottom. The filler-engaging member has a substantially flat contacting surface and the relative movement of the two members is such as to bring the initial hat, vertical, or perpendicular pressure impact oi the contacting or engaging member ilat against the upper side or surface of the filler portion or piece in the shoe bottom cavity, which movement results in sticking the under side of said piece fast against the bottom of the cavity with no lateral shifting 5.0, movement or tendency. This straight down pressure impact is instant, heavy, and simultaneous at all points ci the piece contacted with and holds and maintains the underside of the piece fast with no possibility of loosening from its initial strong vertical grip while the iiller piece is being spread by the continued down pressure to the confines of the cavity (formed by the inner sole and boundary edges oi the upper or welt seam). In other words the piece or portion of filler is driven straight down hard onto the bottom surface of the shoe bottom cavity and held there by the continuous down pressure of the ller contacting member without any impulse to release or shift, and all the spreading takes place wholly above this stuck and held underside region of the piece. The spreading of the piece is wholly effected by a lateral flow produced in the iiller and this flow or movement of the ller is conned to the upper portion oi the piece, because the under portion of the piece is held immovably iixed against the cavity bottom by the continuous heavy direct perpendicular pressure of the ller contacting member on the top side of the piece. Other minor construc- 8 tional features and advantages of my machine will be apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the drawings,

In the accompanying drawings Which illustrate certain embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away, illustrating one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, partly in side ele vation and partly in section, of the abutment and its mounting shown in Fig. 1;

Fig.,3 is a front elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a shoe bottom showing a piece oi shoe bottom ller in position in the shoe bottom cavity before the i'iller piece is spread;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the shoe bottom showing the shoe bottom iiller piece completely spread in the cavity;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a modified form oi the machine;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the abutment head shown in Fig. 6; Y Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of another modification of the machine in which the presser member is power actuated;

Fig. 9 is a front view, partly in section, of the machine shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross section of the abutment member and certain associated parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the abutment member and certain associated parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the machine shown in Fig. 8;

Figs. 13 and 14 are vertical cross sections illustrating modied forms of abutment blocks;

Fig. 15 is a bottom plan view of still another form of abutment block; and

Fig. 16 is a section on line 16-16 of Fig. 15.

Referring rst to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 represents an upright standard adapted to be xed to the floor and having at its upper end an overhanging abutment head 2. The abutment head 2 is provided with a pair of rigid downwardly extending ears or lugs 3 between which is mounted the abutment member 4 on pinions or trunnions 5 which permit the abutment member 4 to tilt under pressure to a limited extent, while springs 6, 6 yieldingly oppose such tilting motions and studs 7, '7 limit the extent of such tilting motions.

The abutment member 4 preferably consists of a block of metal having a smooth, polished and generally at bottom surface adapted to spread and/or mold and smooth the ller material in the shoe bottom cavity when the latter is pressed upward against the under or working surface of the abutment member 4. The abutment member or block is made with drill holes or hollows and is provided with one or more electrical heating units 8 (Fig. 2) housed within the hollows and connected by wiring 9 with any suitable source of electric current for heating the abutment member 4.

Below the ller spreading abutment 4 is a presser member, preferably in the form of a rubber roller l0, consisting of a rubber sleeve mounted on a hub or core 11 journaled at 12 between a pair oi ears 13 at the top of a pair of arms 14. The core 11 is hollowed or tapered from the ends toward the center so as to permit the rubber roller 10 to yield to a greater extent at the middle than at the ends thus to conform somewhat to the curved shape of the shoe in the operation of the machine as presently to be described. The arms 14 embrace and are fixed to a lever 15 pivoted to the standard at 16. Provision is made for both angular and vertical adjustment of arms 14, and consequently of the presser roll 10 with relation to lever 15 by means of the slot and bolt connection 17, 18.

The lever 15 and abutment member 10 may be reciprocated up and down by means of a foot pedal 19, acting through a connecting rod 20 and crank or lever arm 21, which is fixed to the same shaft 16 on which lever 15 is fixed. A spring 22 normally holds the foot pedal in elevated position with the presser member lowered to open position, and a stop 23 limits the extent of the upward movement of the foot pedal.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the upright standard and the presser member with its operating mechanism are substantially the same as in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The overhanging arm or head 2 of the present modication instead of itself constituting the direct supporting head of the abutment block 4 carries a separate abutment head 24 which is fastened to the end of arm 2 with provision for vertical adjustment by means of the bolt and slot connections 25, 26.

The lower end of the abutment head 24 is provided with ears or lugs 3 for supporting the abutment block 4 in the manner described in connection with the other form of machine. In other respects the construction of the present modification is essentially the same as that already described in connection with Figs. l, 2 and 3. The vertically adjustable abutment head 24 makes it possible to adjust the abutment block 4 toward or from the presser roll l0 in order to vary somewhat the angle or direction in which the force of presser roll l0 is applied to the shoe. For example, if the abutment head 24 is adjusted downward as far as possible the direction of the force applied by roll 10 will be approximately normal or perpendicular to the face of abutment block 4; but if the abutment head 24 is adjusted upward, farther away from the path or" roll 10, the roll l0 which moves in the arc of a circle will apply the pressing force to the shoe at an angle slanting somewhat more in the direction of the toe of the shoe, thus increasing the tendency to force the shoe outward heel first from between the roll 10 and block 4,-a function desirable in the manufacture of certain types of shoes.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to l2, there is shown in these gures a modication of the machine adapted to be actuated by power instead of by the foot of the operator. 2'7 represents the standard provided with the overhanging abutment head 28, both preferably being made hollow to enclose or house certain of the other parts. The abutment member 4 may be mounted on the underside of the abutment head 28 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 8 to 12 an alternative form of yielding mounting may be employed in conjunction with an interposed pad of asbestos fibres or other insulating material 29 to prevent the passage of heat from the abutment block 4 to the abutment il" head.

Headed bolts or screws 30 fixed to the abutment block 4 extend loosely through holes in a marginal flange on abutment head 28 and through Or, as illustrated in spacers 31 between the abutment head and the abutment block, thus limiting the extent of separation permitted between the abutment block and abutment head, and also permitting the abutment block to have a slight rocking or tilting motion on spacers 31 with relation to the abutment head. Other headed bolts or screws 32 are xed to the abutment block and extend upward through the pad 29 and through the iiange on abutment head 28 and are provided with coil springs 33 between their heads and said flange. Between the pad 29 and the abutment block 4 is a metal plate 34 which is made with a shallow offset area or recess S5 to admit the blade 36 of a spatula or spreading and smoothing knife to be inserted between the plate 34 and the heated block 4 for the purpose of heating the blade. This construction will preferably be applied also to the machines of Figs. 1 and 6. Such heated knife may be a convenient accessory upon occasion for cleaning or finishing by hand an imperfectly L .'i,

ready described in connection with the other forms of the machine. In this machine, however, the presser member instead of being actuated by foot power is actuated by a motor 37 preferably mounted on top of the machine standard. The shaft of motor 37 is connected by a belt 38 to a driving pulley 39 which is mounted on a shaft 40. The shaft 40, which may be considered as the main driving shaft, is provided with a worin 41 which actuates a worm gear 42 mounted on an upright shaft 43, journaled in a standard 44, which also supports at its top a casing 45 for enclosing the worm and worm gear. The worm gear 42 is provided with an eccentrically positioned stud or crank pin 46. A connecting rod or link 4'? is connected at one end by a universal joint to the crank pin 46, and at the other end by a universal joint to the top of a bifurcated or two legged operating lever 48 ulcrumed on the same shaft 16 which carries the lever 15. The lever 15 carries a bell crank arm 49 which extends upward between the two legs of lever 48. A screw 50 extends loosely through holes in levers 48 and 49, and a coil spring 61 is conned between a head on the end of the screw 5G and the side of lever 48. The other end of the screw 50 is provided with an adjusting nut 52 by which the tension of' the spring may be regulated. It will be understood that the .lever 48 is positively actuated by the rotation of worm gear 42, and the purpose of this spring connection is to provide for a certain amount of yielding action or cushioning effect between the lever 48 and the lever 15, thus avoiding danger of break- Y age of the machine or of injury to the shoe when the pressure member 16 is moved toward the abutment member 4 in operating upon a shoe.

ln order to adjust the tightening or slacking of the driving belt 38, the casing of motor 3'7 may be mounted on a cross-shaft 53 which is supported on top of the casing 45 and extends through lugs on the under side of the base of the motor; thus the motor may be swung as a whole about shaft 53 to regulate the tension of belt 38. When brought to proper position, the motor may be xed by tightening up the adjust- .ing bolt 54 which works in a slot 55 in link 56 connected to the standard of the machine.

The working face of the abutment block 4 for spreading and smoothing the filler piece may be varied in shape if desired to produce special effects in the contour of the surf ce of the filler when laid in the shoe bottom cavity. 'ln the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the abutment block 4 is provided with a perfectly fiat, plain working surface. In the form of abutment blocks shown in Figs. 6 and 7, themain working surface is also perfectly flat but is provided at its front edge with a rib 4at of gentle curvature across which the operator may draw the spread and laid filler in removing the shoe from the machine for the purpose of giving it a final smoothing or polishing. In the form shown in Fig. 13, the abutment block 4 is provided with a slightly concave working surface 5'?, the effect of which is to impart to the spread and laid filler a rounded and slightly convex surface. This is desirable in cer-- tain processes of making shoes where the shoe with its lled cavity is subsequently subjected to long continued pressure which might otherwise cause a perfectly fiat filler layer to sag in the shoe bottom. Such effect is overcome by slightly heaping up the filler toward the middle of the cavity which is brought about by the concave form of the spreading surface 57. 1f on the contrary it is desired for some purpose to have the finished and laid filler slightly concave, or thinner at the middle, this can be accomplished by forming the abutment block 4 with a slightly convex working surface, as shown at 58 in Fig. 14. Sometimes it is desired that the filler be slightly hunched at some particular point, as at the afterpart of the ball of the sole to support the metatarsal arch. This can be accomplished by forming the abutment block 4 as shown in Figs. l5 and 16 with a working surface having a pronounced concavity 59 of curved contour in the position where it is desired to concentrate the greatest thickness or mass of filler material. These suggested forms of working surfaces of the abutment block 4 are merely illustrative and it will be understood that the working surface of the block may be shaped to produce any desired result in the surface contour of the ller layer when finally laid and spread in the shoe, according to the requirements of the individual shoe manufacturer.

The operation of the machine is as follows: It will be understood that the unfinished shoe S is still on the last L (Fig. 2) with the edges 66 of the upper folded over and fastened to the margin of the inner sole 6l, forming the usual cavity between the inner sole and the outer sole which requires to be filled. A McKay shoe is illustrated in Fig. 2 but it will be understood that a precisely similar operation will apply to a Goodyear welt shoe. The operator lays the shoe filler in the form of a piece 62 in the shoe bottom cavity. This iillcr piece may be of any suitable spreadable plastic filler material of the kinds commonly used in shoe bottom filling, and of any form or shape, provided the filler unit or filler piece is smaller in area than the area of the shoe bottom cavity to be filled, and greater in thickness than the depth of the cavity and contains a mass or volume of material suitable for filling the single cavity when spread to the confines of the cavity.

With. the filler piece thus laid in the shoe bottom cavity, as illustrated in Fig. 4 (and also in 1, 2, 6 and 8), the operator inserts the shoe, bottom up, between the spreading and smoothing abutment block 4 and the presser roll 10. When using the foot operated machine, illustrated Figs. 1 and 6, he then presses down the pedal 19 thereby forcing the presser roll lo upward against the shoe upper and so forcing the filler piece 62 against the working surface of the abutment member 4. The pressure, supplemented the heat of the heated abutment block. 4, which renders the filler material more readily spreadabl and plastic, causes the filler piece to be reduced in thickness and spread laterally Vto the confines of the shoe bottom cavity, as illustrated at 32e in Fig. 5. The abutment block being heated will not stick to the ller material, and 'as the face of the abutment block is smooth and highly polished, it will impart to the surface of the spread filler a smooth finish shaped in accordance with the shape of the particular abutment block used. After the first spreading pressure is applied, a greater or less degree of pressure, as desired, may be continued by the presser member against the shoe as the shoe is withdrawn from the machine, ti us further smoothing and ironing the surface of the spread ller.

W hen the power actuated machine is used, illustrated in Figs. 5 to 12, it will be understood that the motor is continuously operated and that the presser roll lo is therefore continuously reciprocated. The operation, however, is substantially 'soA as before, excepting that the operator must time the insertion of the shoe to the action to the machine, inserting the shoe between the abutment block 4 and the presser roll l() when the latter is down, and spreading and smoothing the laid ller in the cavity as 'the presser roll l0 rises.

In either form of machine the yielding or tilting mounting of the abutment block permits it to adjust and accommodate itself to the surface of the shoe bottom in case the operator should not insert or hold the shoe with its bottom in exact parallelism with the spreading and smoothing surface of the abutment block. t also makes it possible for the operator to swing the shoe slightly up or down to control the spreading and smoothing eiects on diirerent parts of the ller, if desired, while t1 e filler is being laid and smoothed. The rubber presser roll 10 yields to conform somewhat to the shape of the shoe upper and at the same time rolls gently over the surface of the shoe upper as the shoe is withdrawn so that a powerful spreading pressure may be applied without abrading or disiiguring or injuring the shoe upper.

The pieces of ller are stiif and readily handleable and presumably coid just as they are taken out of the box or package received from the ler manufacturer, although they may be slightly conditioned by having been stacked in a slightly Warm place ready at the hand of the operator. The operator takes the shoe (on its last) in one hand and takes in his other hand a single ller piece of the right size for the given shoe, and places said piece in proper position in the cavity 6l of the shoe as held in his other hand and then holds the shoe with its superposed filler piece in position between the hot abutment 4 and the presser l0 which are brought towards each other at practically the same inl stant of the placing of the shoe and ller piece the nlling operation is thereby instantly completed. Quickness, neatness, and accuracy are the principal objects. The aim is to accomn plish the softening, spreading, and leveling by a single, sudden, vertical or perpendicular pressure and flat contact of the hot block or pressure applying abutment simultaneously against and throughout the entire nller piece. As the spreading action is almost instantaneous, or of very short duration much higher heat may be used in the abutment block without danger of burning the iiller or the shoe than would be possible if the action were slower. |The direct contact of the entire filler piece against the highly heated abutment fl softens the filler piece sufciently for spreading because of the instant high heat contact. The pressure, preferably under the control of the operator through the foot lever, simultaneously spreads the filler piece from the position shown in 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5 and the boundary edge of the inturned upper cooperates with the surface of the block or abutment which is wide enough to lap over the seams, to hold the filler from spreading beyond the cavity. Y

Preferably the iiller piece is parallel sided, rigid and self-supporting as a piece, as already suggested and shown in the drawings, and I have illustrated my machine and its use by reference to such a piece of ller. It is specially adapted to the quick handling of such pieces with particular speed and efciency. But the filler portion may be of any shape so deposited in the shoe bottom cavity as tobe engaged the flat-faced abutment or ller-engaging member el with a straight down pressure, the direction of pressing movement being substantially perpendicular to the cavity bottom surface 6l and the abutment face substantially parallel to said surface 61. Such a segregated portion, lump, or piece, whether dipped from a sluggishly softened mass, cut from a harder mass, or sheeted as at 62, is instantly driven by the nat member 4, hard straight against the cold, tempered surface 6l Where its contacting under surface sets at once in firm adhesion therewith, while the upper part of the deposited iilier which comes into direct contact with the hot face of abutment 4 is, therefore, instantly softened to a more flowable or movable condition and is simultaneously spread as desired and to the extent permitted by and within the confines of the covering abutment 4 and bottom cavity or boundary. The unremitting predetermined heavy pressure of the member 4 is greater than the pressure occasioned later by ordinary wear. This establishes a factor of safety against further movement or shifting of the laid filler in the shoe bottom during any subsequent wearing of the shoe.

As shoes and lasts are not all exactly alike in bottom curvature or shape and as the operator will presumably not always hold or present all shoes alike to the machine, the abutment is made ielding or accommodating to the surface presented. Also the presser device 10, which is preferably a roll, is preferably yielding so as still further to give the operator the means of apply- ,.ig a tilting motion to the Work if necessary. In other words the machine enables the operator, because of its yielding capacity both above and below the shoe, to roel; the shoe slightly endwise and sidewise. Also in case the operator notices that either the shape of the shoe or the filler piece or any other relation peculiar to the particular shoe requires a little more ller in the toe for example or at any other place in the cavity than the single direct contact straight up or perpendicular pressure has given, he is enabled, by reason oi the construction explained, to smooth or present the required extra amount of filler into the place desired by simply tipping the shoe in the direction required as he withdraws it from the hot block or abutment 4i. The rounded end depression la still further facilitates the last mentioned advantage.

Although the automatic yielding capacity of the filler engaging member or abutment l whereby it accommodates itself to the particular shape and curves of shoe bottoms, aifords self-adjusting, varying pressure, and a contacting with the filler piece which may be progressive in the application of the pressure, the direction of the pressure in any given point or region of the piece and of the cavity bottom is always vertical or perpendicular to the surface 6l. and is predetermined and uniform as to sticking and holding the underside of the filler ixed and unchangeable against said bottom Gl. The substantially fiat plate or engaging surface of the member 4 constitutes a quick heat applying member, if

heated, a moulding member or plate, if specially shaped as shown, for example, in Figs. 6, lll, l5, 16, and in all cases is a filler engaging and pressure transmitting member. rChe underside or face of this member has a greater area than the area or the bottom cavity to be filled, so that it cooperates with the boundary of 'the cavity to conne the spreading filler to the limits of the cavity. Because of its self-adjusting or rocking capacity the plate contacts with the rim or lli) boundary of Vthe cavity wherever Vthe pressure is being applied to control the depth of the spread filler to correspond to the depth orV height of the cavity, at any given point.

l have shown for convenience a McKay shoe bottom but it will be understood that the same procedure and advantages apply to a welt shoe bottom. rihe ller engaging member 4 laps over the Welt and against the welt seam to prevent escape of any filler and acts to level the filler 'to the depth determined by the trimmed seam or boundary of the cavity, and simultaneously softens, spreads, levels, ixes the thickness, and fas-tens the piece, all by a single, sudden, heavy, instant vertical pressure. Also it likewise simulu taneously compacts the filler back of the inseam into the channel or corner at the base of the seam and around the inside of the whole cavity. VrEhis insures a firmly compacted and strongly adherent support in this channeled space.

I claim:

l. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising a substantially fiat faced, tilting abutment member adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member adapted to press a portion of ller material carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said presser member constituting ihe sole shoe supporting member, and the machine having an unobstructed space in front of the presser member for permitting said freedom of manipulation of the shoe, one of said members being movable relativelyto the other, and means to actuate the movable member.

2. A shoe bottom lling machine comprising an abutment member' adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member consisting of a roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of ller material carried in the bottom cavity of the shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said roller constituting the sole shoe supporting member, and the machine having an unobstructed space in front of the roller for permitting said freedom of manipulation of the shoe, one of said members being movable relatively to the other, and means to actuate the movable member.

3. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising an abutment member adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser vmember consisting of a yielding roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of filler material carried in the bottom cavityof the shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said roller constitutingl the sole shoe supporting member, and the machine having an unobstructed space in front of the roller for permitting said freedom of manipulation of the shoe, one of said members being movable relatively to the other, and means to actuate the movable member.

4. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising an abutment member adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member consisting of a cushioned roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the .hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of filler material carried in the bottom cavity of the shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said roller constituting the sole shoe supporting member, and the machine having an unobstructed space in frontof the roller for permitting said freedom of v manipulation of the shoe, one of said members being movable relatively to the other, and means to actuate the mov able member.

5. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising a substantially fiat faced abutment member adapted to spread and smooth ller material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member consisting of a roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand. of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of filler material carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said roller constituiing the sole shoe supporting member, and the machine havingr an unobstructed space in front of the roller for permitting said freedom of manipulation of the shoe, one of said members being movable relatively to the other in a dlrection substantially perpendicular to the bottom of said cavity, and foot actuated means to actuate the movable member.

6. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising a substantially flatfaced abutment member adapted to spread and smooth'filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member consisting of a roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of filler material carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said roller constituting Jthe sole shoe supporting member, and the machine having an unobstructed space in front of the roller for permitting said freedom of manipulation of the shoe, one of said members being movable relatively to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom of said cavity, and power actuated means to actuate the movable member.

7. A shoe bottom illing machine comprising an abutment member adapted to spread and smooth ller material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member consisting of a roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe,` held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its supportand to press a portion of filler material carriedin the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, said roller constituting the sole shoe supporting member, and the machine having an unobstructed space front of the roller for permitting said fredom of manipulation of the. shoe, a main driving element, and connections between the driving Velement and the presser member adaptedto reciprocate the presserY member toward and from the abutment member.

8. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising an abutment YmemberV adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member consisting of a roller adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of filler material carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement With the abutment member, said roller constituting the sole shoe supporting member. and the machine having an unobstructed space in front of the roller for permitting said freedom of manipulation of the shoe. a main driving element. and connections between the driving element and the presser member adapted to reciprocate the presser member toward and from the abutment member. said connections including a yielding element.

9. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising an abutment member adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, a presser member adapted to press a portion of filler material carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement With the abutment member, a main driving element, a lever positively reeiprocated by said driving element, a second lever carrying the presser member, and a yielding connection between said two levers for yleldingly reciprocating the presser member toward and from the abutment member.

l0. A shoe bottom filling machine comprising an abutment block adapted to spread and smooth filler material in a shoe bottom cavity, having a smooth Working face of curved contour adapted to impart a similar curvature to the surface of the filler layer spread thereby, a presser member adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement or" the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of filler carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement With the labutment member, one of said members being movable relatively to the other in a direction sub-- stantially perpendicular to the bottom of said cavity, and means to actuate the movable member.

11. A shoe bottom lling machine comprising an abutment block adapted to spread and. smooth ller material in a shoe bottom cavity,A having a smooth working face and a rib adjacent thereto with a curved surface adapted to smooth the surface of the ller after the latter is spread by the Working face of the block, a presser member adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of ller carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement With the abutment member. one of said members being movable relatively to the other in a direction substantialy perpendicular to the bottom 01"' said cavity, and means to actuate the movable member.

12. A shoe bottom lling machine comprising an abutment block adapted to spread and smooth ller material in a shoe bottom cavity, having a smooth Working face of concave form adapted to impart a convex form to the surface of the iiller layer spread thereby, a presser member adapted to support the forepart of a shoe, held in the hand of an operator, in such manner as to permit freedom of movement of the shoe in every direction upon its support and to press a portion of iller carried in the bottom cavity of a shoe into spreading engagement with the abutment member, one of said members being movable relatively to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom of said cavity, and means to actuate the movable member.

ALFRED H. AVERY. 

